Stockline armor with free-floating elements



Oct. 8, 1968 MALONEY I 3,404,876 Y STOCKLINE ARMOR WITH FREE-FLOATING ELEMENTS Filed May 12. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN T0)? 2/ Z ozzaov/evzce 6. v

A TTORNE Y5 Oct. 8, 1968 1.. G. MALONEY 3,404,876

STOCKLINE ARMOR WITH FREE-FLOATING ELEMENTS Filed May 12, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M/VE N TOR @zgy ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,404,876 STOCKLINE ARMOR WITH FREE-FLOATING ELEMENTS Lawrence G. Maloney, Munster, Ind., assignor to Inland Steel Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 12, 1966, Ser. No. 549,551 Claims. (Cl. 266-43) The present invention relates generally to stockline armor for a vertically disposed, shaft-type metallurgical furnace, such as a blast furnace. More particularly, the invention relates to stockline armor comprising a plurality of vertically disposed tiers each including a plurality of plates arranged circumferentially around the interior of the furnace near the top of the furnace, with each plate being separately and individually mounted by structure attached to and supported by the outer shell of the furnace, and with each plate including means cooperating with means on the mounting structure to accommodate thermal dimensional changes on the part of the plate in radial, circumferential and vertical directions relative to the furnace.

Vertically disposed, shaft-type metallurgical furnaces, such as blast furnaces, conventionally include stockline armor around the furnace interior near the top of the furnace. Stockline armor absorbs the shock and abrasion of feed stock introduced into the furnace, at the top thereof, by conventional bell-type charging apparatus which distributes the charging material into the furnace in a downward and radially outward direction. Conventional stockline armor is located radially inwardly of the outer shell of the furnace, and, conventionally, refractory material is located between the outer shell and the stockline armor.

Conventional stockline armor usually comprises a plurality of circumferentially arranged, vertically superimposed plates, disposed one above another; and the individual plates conventionally have been supported either by an underlying wall of refractory material or by an underlying armor plate, or both. A problem arising with the types of plate support described in the preceding sentence is that once the underlying supporting refractory wall is eroded or otherwise worn away, or once an underlying supporting plate is worn away or otherwise removed, the plates thereabove have no support and collapse, leading to substantial operating and maintenance problems.

As a feature of the present invention, each of the armor plates is separately and individually supported by structure connected to and supported by the outer shell of the furnace so that even if the underlying refractory material and/or an underlying armor plate is worn away or otherwise removed, there is no adverse effect on the overlying plates in the stockline armor.

The armor plates normally undergo dimensional changes in response to normal changes of temperature within the furnace during furnace operation. Accordingly, the stockline armor of the present invention is constructed to accommodate such thermal dimensional changes in radial, circumferential and vertical directions, relative to the furnace.

Other advantages of the stockline armor of the present invention include simplicity of construction and ease of installation and replacement.

Additional features and advantages are inherent in the structure claimed and disclosed or will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying diagrammatic drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary elevational view, partially in section and partially cut away, illustrating an embodiment of a vertically disposed, shaft-type metallurgical furnace including stockline armor constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 33 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 44 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 6-6 in FIGURE 1.

Referring initially to FIGURE 1, there is indicated generally at 11 a vertically disposed, shaft-type metallurgical furnace having a circular, horizontal cross section. Furnace 11 includes an outer shell 12 and an inner lining 21 of refractory material. Communicating with the top of furnace 11 is a conduit 14 conventionally used as a test rod well. Also located at the top of furnace 11 is conventional, bell-type charging apparatus indicated generally at 13.

Charge material descends from apparatus 13 into the furnace interior in a downward and radially outward direction. The area between the bottom of apparatus 13 and the top 27 of refractory lining 21 is the area of the furnace interior which is normally subject to impact or abrasion by material descending into the furnace from charging apparatus 13. In the absence of stockline armor in this area, the furnace walls, whether they be refractory lining or outer steel shell, would be relatively rapidly worn away by the impact or abrasion of the descending charge material.

Located between charging apparatus 13 and top 27 of refractory lining 21 is stockline armor indicated generally at 20. The purpose of stockline armor 20 is to absorb the impact of charging material introduced from apparatus 13.

Stockline armor 20 comprises a plurality of vertically superimposed tiers 22-2-6 each including a multiplicity of circumferentially arranged plates each individually and separately supported in a free-floating condition by supporting structure attached to outer shell 12 of furnace 11. The construction of the stockline armor will now be described in greater detail.

Referring to FIGURES 1, 2, 5 and 6, attached to furnace outer shell 12, around the interior thereof, are a plurality of triangular-shaped first brackets 30. Mounted atop brackets 30, in a free-floating condition, is an annular support plate 31. Attached to the bottom of annular plate 31 are a plurality of pairs of plate guides, there being one pair of guides for each bracket 30. Each plate guide 32 in a pair of plate guides is located on a respective opposite side of its corresponding bracket 30 and each plate guide 32 is spaced a short distance from the bracket, e.g., one-eighth of an inch. Each pair of plate guides 32 and the corresponding bracket 30 cooperate to confine the movement of annular plate 31 in a circumferential direction, uniformly around the circumference of annular plate 31, during thermal dimensional changes of the annular plate. There are no obstructions on either annular plate 31 or brackets 30 to interfere with thermal dimensional changes by plate 31 in a radial direction; and annular plate 31 and brackets 30 cooperate to accommodate such thermal dimensional changes.

Before installation of support plate 31, refractory lining 21, composed of a multiplicity of refractory bricks, is constructed to a height below the lower edge of triangular support bracket 30. After annular plate 31 has been installed within the furnace, the refractory lining 21 is completed up to the level of plate 31 (see FIG. 1).

After installation of annular plate 31, a true circle is scribed on the top surface of annular plate 31, an a plurality of vertically disposed, horizontally curved arcuate plates 33 are welded atop plate 31 (FIGS. 2 and 6). Plates 33 constitute guides which follow the circle scribed atop support plate 31. Scribing the circle on support plate 31 after installation of plate 31 and assembling guides 33 in a circle to follow the circle scribed on plate 31 permits perfect centering of the stockline armor regardless of distortions in furnace outer shell 12.

Located radially outwardly of the circle defined by guides 33 is a vertically disposed, circular, tubular member 34 following the circle defined by guides 33 and composed of a multiplicity of vertically disposed, horizontally curved arcuate plates 35 connected together along adjacent vertical edges by angle irons 36 and bolts 37 (FIG. 3).

Tubular member 34 is mounted in a free-floating condition on annular plate 31. There are no obstructions on either tubular member 34 or annular plate 31 to interfere with thermal dimensional changes of tubular member 34 in a radially outward direction; and annular plate 31 and tubular member 34 cooperate to accommodate such thermal dimensional changes.

Extending radially inwardly, from tubular member 34, toward the furnace interior, are a multiplicity of second brackets 38 each in the form of a vertically disposed plate and each having its outer end connected to tubular member 34 by a vertically disposed angle iron 39 and bolts 40 (FIGS. 1 and 3).

Referring to FIGURES 3 and 4, connected to each of a pair of adjacent second brackets 38, by bolts 42, are a pair of horizontally disposed supporting members 41. Each supporting member 41 is in the form of an angle iron, in the illustrated embodiment, and extends in a radial direction between furnace outer shell 12 and the furnace interior. Each of a pair of adjacent supporting members 41 is in facing relation with and at the same vertical level as the other supporting member 41 in the pair.

Each second bracket 38 has attached thereto, at vertically spaced levels corresponding to each of the tiers 22-26, a plurality of supporting members 41, with each bracket 38 including, on each side thereof, a supporting member 41 at each level, and with each supporting member 41 on each level being in facing relation and at the same level as a supporting member 41 on an adjacent bracket 38.

Referring initially to the supporting members 41 located at the lowermost level, each of a pair of adjacent supporting members 41 mounts one of the plates 43, in the bottom tier 22 of the stockline armor, in a freefioating condition.

Referring to FIGURES l, 3 and 4, each plate member 43 includes a vertically disposed portion 44 facing the interior of the furnace and a horizontally disposed portion 45 extending radially outwardly from the vertically disposed portion 44 and resting on a pair of adjacent facing supporting members 41. Each armor plate 43 also includes a pair of vertically disposed side flanges 46 each extending rearwardly from vertically disposed portion 44 and upwardly from horizontally disposed portion 45 on opposite sides thereof. Vertically disposed portion 44 of armor plate 43 has a bottom end 48 and a top end 47. In lowermost tier 22, bottom end 48 may rest upon the top 27 of refractory lining 21; and top end 47 is spaced vertically below the bottom end 48 of the armor plates in the next-to-the-bottom tier 23.

Side flanges 46 on plate 43 are circumferentially spaced from brackets 38 (FIGS. 3 and 4). Accordingly, armor plate 43 is free to expand and contract in a circumferential direction toward and away from brackets 38 during heating and cooling of the furnace interior during furnace operation.

Because of the vertical clearance between top end 47 of the plates in tier 22 and the bottom end 48 of the plates in tier 23, armor plates 43 in both tiers 22 and 23 are free to expand and contract in a vertical direction in response to temperature changes in the furnace.

There is also a clearance between tubular member 34 and the radially outermost portions of armor plates 43 (FIG. 3). Accordingly, there is clearance to accommodate thermal expansion of plates 43 in a radially outward direction during temperature changes in the furnace.

The structure heretofore described has been mostly in connection with the two lowermost tiers 22, 23. The structure for the three upper tiers 24-26 is essentially the same as that of tiers 22, 23. In addition to the five tiers illustrated in the drawing, additional tiers may be utilized above fifth tier 26. These additional tiers and their supporting structure are essentially identical to that illustrated for the five lower tiers 22-26.

In summary, each armor plate 43 is individually and separately mounted relative to each of the other armor plates 43, in the same tier or in an adjacent vertically spaced tier either above or below. By virtue of the location and construction of plates 43, of supporting members 41 and of the rest of the supporting structure, dimensional changes of a plate 43 in radial, circumferential and vertical directions, in response to changes in temperature withinthe furnace, are accommodated.

During operation, it is possible that refractory lining 21 may expand upwardly. In a furnace having stockline armor constructed in accordance with the present invention, the plates in the stockline armor are free to move vertically along with refractory lining 21.

If there is a refractory failure in lining 21 at a location underlying the lowermost tier 22 of armor plates 43, there will be no adverse effect on the support of any of the armor plates 43 because the support for the armor plates consists entirely of structure connected to furnace outer shell 12.

If one of the lower tier of armor plates is eroded or worn away, this will not interfere with support of a higher tier of armor plates because each of the tiers and each of the individual plates in a tier is separately and individually supported; and the support consists entirely of structure connected to furnace outer shell 12.

The space between tubular member 34 and the vertically disposed portions 44 of the armor plates is conventionally filled with a castable refractory material (not shown). The vertically disposed plate portions 44 and tubular member 34 define the inner and outer walls of a form within which the castable refractory material is poured.

The lowermost tiers of the stockline armor are usually provided with armor plates 43 composed of a relatively temperature-resistant steel alloy, such as stainless steel; and the upper tiers are usually provided with armor plates composed of a relatively wear-resistant steel alloy. Alloys of these types have been conventionally available heretofore.

Brackets 38 and supporting members 41 are generally composed of a temperature-resistant material such as stainless steel; and the bolts utilized to connect these elements together are also composed of stainless steel.

Because most of the components are bolted together rather than being welded together, assembly within the furnace is facilitated, and replacement or repair during winter is facilitated because preheating of welded components, normally required in winter, is eliminated.

To facilitate construction and installation, the components are prefabricated before installation, to the extent possible. Machining of armor plates 43 is not required.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vertically disposed, shaft-type metallurgical furnace having a circular, horizontal cross section:

an outer shell;

a plurality of brackets attached to the interior of said outer shell at respective circumferentially spaced lcations on the shell;

a horizontally disposed annular plate mounted in a freefloating condition on said brackets;

a vertically disposed, circular, tubular member supported atop said annular plate;

a plurality of pairs of horizontally disposed, circumferentially spaced supporting members;

each supporting member in each pair extending in a radial direction between said outer shell and the furnace interior, and being in facing relation with and at the same vertical level as the other supporting member in the same pair;

means mounting each pair of supporting members on said tubular member;

a stockline armor plate member supported between said each pair of supporting members;

said plate member having a vertically disposed portion facing the interior of said furnace and a horizontally disposed portion extending radially outwardly from said vertically disposed portion and resting on said pair of supporting members;

said plate member and said pair of supporting members including means cooperating to accommodate thermal dimensional changes of the plate member in radial, circumferential and vertical directions relative to the furnace.

2. In a furnace as recited in claim 1:

means on each of said brackets and means attached to said annular plate cooperating to confine movement of the annular plate in a circumferential direction, uniformly around the circumference of the annular plate, during thermal dimensional changes of said annular plate.

3. In a furnace as recited in claim 1:

means on said brackets and on said annular plate cooperating to accommodate thermal dimensional changes of the annular plate in a radial direction.

4. In a furnace as recited in claim 1:

means on said circular tubular member and on said annular plate cooperating to accommodate thermal dimentional changes of the tubular member in a radially outward direction.

5. In a furnace as recited in claim 1:

a plurality of guides atop-said annular plate at spaced locations thereon and defining a true circle;

said tubular member being located radially outwardly of and following the circle defined by said guides.

6. In a furnace as recited in claim 5 wherein:

said mountingmeans for said each pair of supporting members comprises a pair of vertically disposed brackets each having an outer end attached to the tubular member and extending radially inwardly therefrom.

7. In a furnace as recited in claim 1:

a plurality of pairs of plate guides attached to the bottom of said annular plate, one pair of guides for each of said brackets;

each plate guide in a pair being located on a respective opposite side of one of said brackets;

each pair of guides and each corresponding bracket including means cooperating to confine movement of the annular plate in a circumferential direction, uniformly around the circumference of the annular plate, during thermal dimensional changes of said annular plate.

8. In a furnace as recited in claim 1 wherein:

said mounting means for said each pair of supporting members comprises a pair of vertically disposed second brackets each having an outer end attached to the tubular member and extending radially inwardly therefrom.

9. In a furnace as recited in claim 8:

a plurality of second pairs of horizontally disposed, circumferentially spaced supporting members attached to said vertically disposed second brackets;

said second pairs of supporting members being located above said first recited pairs of supporting members;

each supporting member in each of the second pairs extending in a radial direction between the outer shell and the furnace interior, and being in facing relation with and at the same vertical level as the other supporting member in the same second pair;

a second stockline armor plate member supported between each second pair of supporting members;

said second plate member including a vertically disposed portion facing the furnace interior and having a bottom end spaced vertically above the top end of said vertically disposed portion on said first plate member;

said second plate member having a horizontally disposed portion extending radially outwardly from its vertically disposed portion and resting on the second pair of supporting members;

said second plate member and said second pair of supporting members including means cooperating to accommodate thermal dimensional changes of the plate member in radial, circumferential and vertical directions relative to the furnace.

10. In a vertically disposed, shaft-type metallurgical furnace having a circular, horizontal cross section;

an outer shell;

a refractory lining inside said shell;

a vertically disposed, circular, tubular member;

means, independent of said refractory lining, supporting said tubular member in a free-floating condition radially inwardly of the outer shell;

means on said tubular member and on said supporting means for the tubular member cooperating to accommodate thermal dimensional changes of the tubular member in a radial direction;

a stockline armor, located radially inwardly of said tubular member, and comprising a first tier of plate members and a second tier of plate members in vertically spaced relation to said first tier;

a plurality of first means mounted on said tubular member, each for supporting a plate member in said first tier in a free-floating condition inwardly of the tubular member and independently of the refractory lining;

each of said first supporting means and each plate member in the first tier including means cooperating to accommodate thermal dimensional changes of said plate member in radial, circumferential and vertical directions relative to said furnace;

and a plurality of second means mounted on said tubular member, each separate and discrete from said first supporting means and from said plate members on the first tier, and each for supporting a plate member in said second tier in a free-floating condition inwardly of the tubular member, independently of the refractory lining, and immediately adjacent the first tier of plate members in vertical spaced relation thereto;

each of said second supporting means and each of said plate members in the second tier including means cooperating to accommodate thermal dimensional changes of said plate member in radial, circumferential and vertical directions relative to said furnace.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS I. SPENCER OVERHOLSER, Primary Examiner.

R. D. BALDWIN, Assistant Examiner. 

10. IN A VERTICALLY DISPOSED, SHAFT-TYPE METALLURGICAL FURNACE HAVING A CIRCULAR, HORIZONTAL CROSS SECTION; AN OUTER SHELL; A REFRACTORY LINING INSIDE SAID SHELL; A VERTICALLY DISPOSED, CIRCULAR, TUBULAR MEMBER; MEANS, INDEPENDENT OF SAID REFRACTORY LINING, SUPPORTING SAID TUBULAR MEMBER IN A FREE-FLOATING CONDITION RADIALLY INWARDLY OF THE OUTER SHELL; MEANS ON SAID TUBULAR MEMBER AND ON SAID SUPPORTING MEANS FOR THE TUBULAR MEMBER COOPERATING TO ACCOMMODATE THERMAL DIMENSIONAL CHANGES OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER IN A RADIAL DIRECTION; A STOCKLINE ARMOR, LOCATED RADIALLY INWARDLY OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, AND COMPRISING A FIRST TIER OF PLATE MEMBERS AND A SECOND TIER OF PLATE MEMBERS IN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID FIRST TIER; A PLURALITY OF FIRST MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, EACH FOR SUPPORTING A PLATE MEMBER IN SAID FIRST TIER IN A FREE-FLOATING CONDITION INWARDLY OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER AND INDEPENDENTLY OF THE REFRACTORY LINING; EACH OF SAID FIRST SUPPORTING MEANS AND EACH PLATE MEMBER IN THE FIRST TIER INCLUDING MEANS COOPERATING TO ACCOMMODATE THERMAL DIMENSIONAL CHANGES OF SAID PLATE MEMBER IN RADIAL, CIRCUMFERENTIAL AND VERTICAL DIRECTIONS RELATIVE TO SAID FURNACE; AND A PLURALITY OF SECOND MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID TUBULAR MEMBER, EACH SEPARATE AND DISCRETE FROM SAID FIRST SUPPORTING MEANS AND FROM SAID PLATE MEMBERS ON THE FIRST TIER, AND EACH FOR SUPPORTING A PLATE MEMBER IN SAID SECOND TIER IN A FREE-FLOATING CONDITION INWARDLY OF THE TUBULAR MEMBER, INDEPENDENTLY OF THE REFRACTORY LINING, AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT THE FIRST TIER OF PLATE MEMBERS IN VERTICAL SPACED RELATION THERETO; EACH OF SAID SECOND SUPPORTING MEANS AND EACH OF SAID PLATE MEMBERS IN THE SECOND TIER INCLUDING MEANS COOPERATING TO ACCOMMODATE THERMAL DIMENSIONAL CHANGES OF SAID PLATE MEMBER IN RADIAL, CIRCUMFERENTIAL AND VERTICAL DIRECTIONS RELATIVE TO SAID FURNACE. 